


A Spark

by alistoney



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Best Friends, Dancer Magnus, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, High School AU, Homecoming, Human AU, M/M, Magnus and Maia friendship, but barely, lacrosse player Alec
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 03:12:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17654975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alistoney/pseuds/alistoney
Summary: Magnus is head over heels in love with his best friend and Maia might have a (not so small) crush. The two of them make a deal.





	A Spark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wolfspirit_A04](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfspirit_A04/gifts).



> Happy birthday Ash, you are the sweetest and loveliest human ever. I hope you have a great day and that you like this!! You said you like friends to lovers so here ya go!

Magnus smiles to himself as he runs his fingers down the steering wheel of his car. The summer breeze whips around him through the open windows as he pulls up to the Lightwood residence.

He leans his head back on his seat and grins to himself as he sends off a quick text. 

Max ducks his head in the window and salutes Magnus. He has a piece of toast hanging out of his mouth and the tie for his uniform only half tied around his neck. 

Somehow the youngest Lightwood was the only one who’d gotten stuck in the prestigious private school on the other side of town. 

Izzy is the first to emerge from the house, looking as put together as ever. She’s wearing jean shorts and a dark tank top under a red flannel. She grins at Magnus as she bounds down the front steps and leans into the passenger side window. 

“On a scale of 1 to 10 how mad do you think Alec would be if I stole shotgun from him?” she asks, laughter bright in her eyes. 

Magnus tips his head to make eye contact and smirks. 

“11.”

Izzy just laughs and slides into the backseat like she always does. She never had any intention of stealing Alec’s seat. It’s tradition. 

It had started when Magnus had gotten his license before Alec had their sophomore year and he’d offered to drive Alec to school in the mornings. Alec, of course, also came with the added package of Jace and Izzy, who were freshmen at the time. By the time Alec had gotten his license it had already become part of their routine and Magnus wasn’t about to give it up. 

Now he and Alec are both seniors and all three Lightwoods have their own expensive cars and yet they  _ still _ all pile into Magnus’ beat up Toyota every morning to go to school.

Magnus wouldn’t have it any other way. Especially if it lets him see Alec in all his grumpy glory every morning.

A few minutes later the door swings open again and Alec walks out with Jace in tow. Both of their hair is disheveled and Jace only has one arm through his jacket as they make their way to the car.

Magnus makes eye contact with Izzy through the rearview mirror and shakes his head in amusement. 

Magnus hands Alec a cup of coffee when he slides into the seat next to him and he hums appreciatively, handing Magnus a bag that he knows has a bagel in it. 

“You’re an angel,” Magnus tells him with a grin and Alec smiles at him lazily. It’s the best Magnus is going to get from him so early in the morning and he doesn’t mind. He loves that smile. 

When they pull up to the school Magnus drops Izzy and Jace off at the front where Clary and Simon are waiting for them by the doors. 

“Happy first day kids,” Magnus calls, blowing them both a dramatic kiss and laughing when Jace groans. 

Alec snorts beside him and Magnus can’t help the joy that spreads in his chest at the small smile he directs at his coffee cup. 

They drive off into the parking lot and Magnus pulls out the bagel while they wait for the first bell to ring. 

“Last first day,” Magnus says quietly after a long moment and turns to Alec who sends him a smile. 

He’s more awake now and turns so that his body faces Magnus’ in the seat. 

“Better make the most of it then,” he says and Magnus feels his heart pick up in his chest solely from the way the familiar hazel eyes stare intensely into his own. 

“We’ll still be best friends no matter where we end up,” Magnus says with certainty as he lets his eyes roam Alec’s frame. 

At the way his long jean clad legs are curled up on the seat. How his hair hangs in his eyes and his lips pull further to the left than the right when he smiles. 

Magnus loves him. And he is going to make damn sure Alec Lightwood stays in his life forever. Even if that just means as his best friend. 

Alec tilts his head consideringly and taps a finger against his now empty coffee cup. 

“That’s a given.” 

***

By the time lunch rolls around Magnus has seen enough syllabus’ to last him a lifetime. 

He spots Clary and Izzy at their usual table in the corner of the cafeteria and rolls his eyes when he gets closer and sees that Clary is practically sitting in Izzy’s lap.

“Hey lovebirds,” he says, laughing when Clary rolls her eyes and leans back into Izzy’s chest.

Simon and Alec arrive a moment later carrying trays with questionable looking food on them.

“Are they still being disgustingly cute?” Simon asks as he sets his tray down next to Magnus, “because I’m not gonna lie, it’s making me feel distressingly single.” 

Izzy grins and smacks a purposefully loud kiss to Clary’s lips, winking when she pulls away. 

Simon groans dramatically and throws one of his fries at them while Magnus shares an amused look with Alec who has taken a seat on Magnus’ other side.

Their conversation is interrupted when Simon straightens abruptly and stares with wide eyes at the front of the cafeteria.

Magnus turns to look curiously and finds a girl he’s never seen before standing in the doorway

Her hair is dark and curly and she’s wearing a black crop top with a dark red jacket over it. She stands in the doorway with confidence, despite the fact that Magnus can see her eyes roaming the room, trying to find a seat.

“Who is  _ that _ ?” Simon breathes. 

“That’s Maia Roberts,” Clary answers, “she just moved to Idris. She’s new here.”

“She’s beautiful,” Simon mutters under his breath and then stutters, cheeks turning bright red when he realizes the whole table had heard him. 

Magnus exchanges a wicked glance at Alec who seems to know exactly what Magnus is thinking just from his smile. Magnus loves that about him. 

Magnus stands from the table and walks over to where Maia is standing even as Simon splutters and hisses at him to ‘get back here right now’.

“Hi,” Magnus says, putting on his friendliest smile  when he approaches her.

She turns in confusion and tilts her head at him.

“Hey.”  

“I’m Magnus Bane,” he says, “I hear you’re new here. Would you like to sit with me and my friends for lunch?” 

Magnus makes a sweeping gesture back towards his table. Alec smiles a lopsided smile that distracts Magnus for a second while Clary and Izzy wave happily and Simon ducks his head and tries to hide behind Clary. 

Maia laughs at them before turning back to look at Magnus with sparkling brown eyes. 

“I’d love to.” 

When they get to the table Magnus is delighted to see Clary, Izzy, and Alec have moved seats so that the only empty seat is the one next to Simon.

He has to hide his smirk when Maia slips in next to Simon and he jumps, making a surprised squeak. 

Magnus quickly starts introductions to give him some time to get himself together. 

When he introduces Simon, he smiles bashfully at Maia and puts his hand out for a shake. Maia smiles at him as she takes it and their hands stay together a bit longer than would be considered normal. 

Alec looks at Magnus with knowing eyes and Magnus has to fight back a satisfied smile. Oh he’s just  _ too _ good at this. 

Simon clears his throat nervously when he realizes his and Maia’s hands are still together and that everyone is watching them in amusement, quickly pulling away. 

“So Maia,” Izzy asks, breaking the tension, “how did you spend your last day of freedom before school started.”

When Maia replies that she’d had a Star Wars Marathon Simon perks up in his seat and the two of them descend into a long debate about the correct order to watch the movies. 

Clary grins and bumps her shoulder with Magnus’

“They're perfect for each other,” she says quietly, grinning fondly at the way her best friend has leaned in close to Maia and both of them are laughing happily with each other. 

Magnus nods in satisfaction. 

“I couldn’t agree more.” 

***

When Magnus walks into his last class of the day he’s surprised to find Maia sitting at one of the lab benches in the corner.

Maia smiles at him and he goes to sit down beside her. 

“Hey stranger,” she says with a tip of her head and a small smirk. She’s got her head in her hands and seems to be at ease around all the lab equipment.

Magnus very much likes her. 

“Hey,” he grins, “lab partners?” 

Maia’s eyes gleam as she makes room for Magnus to set down his things.

“It would be my pleasure.” 

They spend the majority of the introductory class not paying attention, instead whispering about topics they’re excited (and not so excited) about from the syllabus.

Magnus expresses his extreme distaste of anything having to do with diffusion and electrical synapses while Maia tells him of her terrible obsession with drawing the Krebs Cycle. 

They definitely get shushed by their teacher more than once but Magnus doesn’t care much. 

As they’re walking out of the class after the last bell rings Magnus decided that this will be the start of a beautiful friendship. 

***

“And 5,6,7,8-“ Magnus grins when Alec shows up in the doorway of the gym right as the team starts their final runthrough of the practice. He has his bag over his shoulder and his hair is wet from the shower he probably took after his lacrosse practice. 

Magnus winks at him without missing a beat and Alec smiles one of those rare bright smiles that lights up his whole face.

Their eyes stay locked through the whole routine and Magnus keeps staring even as the music cuts off and the people around him go to grab water. 

Alec steps into the gym and claps in a one person standing ovation. 

The whole dance team laughs and turn back around to bow dramatically at him. 

“Alright,” Magnus calls as Alec starts walking towards him, “good job today. I’ll see all of you tomorrow.” 

He picks up the bottom of his tank top to wipe the sweat from his face and raises an eyebrow when he sees Alec’s eyes wander down to land on his chest. 

Alec blushes and looks away quickly. 

Sometimes small things like that give Magnus a spark of hope that he’s not the only one who feels the connection they have. It’s never enough to get him to do something about it though.

“Ready?” Alec asks, voice low and rough when he looks back at Magnus again.

Magnus feels his throat go dry and all he can do is nod. 

Alec picks up Magnus’ dance bag and throws it over his shoulder as well before turning to leave the gym. 

When Magnus goes to follow him Cat sends him a smirk from where she’s getting her things together and Magnus rolls his eyes at her. She’s the only one he’s told about how he really feels about Alec. And  _ this  _ is how she supports him. He hates her, except he really doesn’t. 

***

They go get milkshakes, because it’s a first day of school tradition, and sit at their small booth in the back of the shop.

“Low and high of the day,” Magnus says, as he slides into his seat and places their food down on the table. 

Alec rests his chin in his hands and smiles softly as he mulls over the question. 

Magnus lets himself watch the curve of his lips where he bites at them in thought and how his eyelashes fan over his cheekbones as he looks down. 

“Low was Mrs. Herondale taking away my book during class,” he rolls his eyes at Magnus in exasperation, “She was just reading straight off the syllabus I didn’t need to be paying attention.” 

Magnus laughs. Leave it to Alec to get in trouble for reading in an  _ English  _ class. 

“High was the conversation in the car this morning,” he goes on. His eyes have gone soft now as they stare unwaveringly at Magnus, “with you.” 

And there it is again. That spark of hope in his chest. Magnus has to suppress the urge to reach out and take Alec’s hand in his. 

“What about you?”  

Magnus leans backwards to try and stop himself from thinking about touching Alec as he replies. 

“Low would be having technical difficulties with our music for the first half of practice,” Magnus pauses to let himself think over what the best part of his day was. His first thought goes to the smile Alec had sent him when he’d walked into his practice to come get him. He can’t say that though. It would give him away. 

He swallows carefully before speaking again. “High would be finding out Maia is in my bio class.” 

Alec smiles, taking a long sip of his milkshake. 

“She seems nice.” 

Magnus nods, thinking back to the biology class they’d ended the day with. They’d clicked quickly over their love for science and Magnus really does want to get to know her. 

“She’s great,” he tells Alec excitedly, “Confident and smart and doesn’t take any shit.”

Alec laughs shortly and takes one of Magnus’ fries, dipping it into his milkshake. He always insists he isn’t going to eat any and then ends up stealing half of Magnus’  _ the bastard _ . Magnus loves him. 

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say  _ you  _ like her.”

Magnus blanches at the statement and shakes his head vehemently while Alec laughs bright and happy. 

“No,” he says on a laugh, “though I might have a friendship crush on her,” he pauses and lets himself look at the brightness in Alec’s eyes. “I have my eye on someone else.” He says with finality. He wonders if Alec will get the message. 

Alec doesn’t react other than going very still for a split second. Such a small amount of time that Magnus isn’t even sure it actually happened.

“Oh,” Alec says quietly after a moment and Magnus wants to shake him. Wants to look into those beautiful familiar eyes and say  _ it’s you _ . But he can’t bring himself to get the words out of his mouth. 

Instead, he changes the subject. 

“I think Maia is perfect for Simon.” 

Alec looks grateful for the subject change. 

“Yeah, did you see how much he was blushing?” 

Magnus laughs, thankful that the awkwardness has dissipated somewhat. 

“How much do you wanna bet they’ll go to homecoming together?” 

Alec shakes his head in amusement.

“I’m not betting against that, because I know I’ll lose.”

***

A month later Magnus is hanging haphazardly off his bed while Maia sits at his desk as they try and do their biology homework. 

Magnus has other things on his mind.

“Homecoming is in a week,” Magnus says abruptly, interrupting Maia in the middle of reading out a question from their hw. 

She sets the textbook down and turns in the chair to face Magnus. 

“You going to ask Alec?” 

Magnus splutters and almost falls of the bed because that was  _ not  _ where he had been going with that. 

“I-what? No. Are  _ you _ going to ask Simon?” He asks in defense.

“Don’t try and change the subject, Bane,” Maia says and comes to join him on the bed.

Magnus sighs and flops down into his pillows. 

“How did you find out?” He asks in defeat. 

“Simple,” Maia replies. The bed dips next to Magnus and then Maia’s head is next to his on the pillows, “I’m not blind and you’re not subtle.” 

“He hasn’t seemed to figure it out,” Magnus mutters at his ceiling and Maia laughs next to him. 

She holds out her hand and Magnus takes it, smiling slightly when she squeezes it comfortably. 

“Simon can’t seem to figure it out either,” she says softly.

Magnus doesn’t even try to hide his surprise. Simon is the worst at hiding his crush. Even worse than Magnus is to be honest. When Magnus turns to look at Maia, he finds she’s staring at the ceiling. 

“You can’t seriously think he doesn’t like you,” Magnus says, not able to stop the disbelief from bleeding into his voice. 

Maia laughs fondly, still looking at the ceiling.

“No, I know he likes me. He’s not subtle either, the dork. I just don’t think he’s figured out the part where I like him back.”

“I knew it!” Magnus says in triumph, smirking at Maia.

Maia throws a pillow at him and Magnus glares at her for her efforts. 

“I’ll make a deal with you,” Maia says. Her eyes look nervous but she’s Maia so of course it doesn’t stop her.

“What?”

“If I get my head out of my ass and ask Simon to homecoming you have to get your head out of your ass and tell Alec how you feel.” 

The no is on the tip of Magnus’ tongue. He’s spent years convincing himself that he’d lose Alec if he said anything. 

But Maia looks at Magnus with wide sincere eyes and Magnus knows she’d never tell him to do this if she thought Alec would break his heart. Knows that if he does, Maia will be there to pick up the pieces.

Magnus thinks about those little sparks of hope that he’s stored in his chest. Every rare smile and soft word. Every fleeting touch and longing look Alec has sent him.

He nods his head, holding his hand out to Maia. 

“Deal.” 

***

Maia’s end of the deal is completed that Tuesday afternoon. 

Magnus stands in the center of the auditorium stage, head down, when he hears the tell tale sound of Simon’s voice.

“What the hell guys? What’s going on?”

Magnus grins at the familiar sound of Alec’s annoyed huff and Izzy’s bright laughter before he nods at Cat to turn on the music.

The auditorium floods with music. A song by some artist that Maia had said was Simon’s favorite. She seems to be right from the way Simon’s eyes widen in joy and he turns to look at Izzy and Alec with an awed smile. 

They run through the routine Maia and Magnus had put together in three days and then pull the curtain aside to reveal Maia who is grinning wide and happy as she joins in for the last bit of the song. 

Simon’s mouth is hanging open and Magnus can see that his eyes are locked on Maia the whole time. He smiles to himself at a job well done. 

At the end of the number the dance team holds up posters reading out 

_ Will you go to homecoming with _ ...

Maia holds the last poster that reads 

_ Me? _

Simon is bounding towards the stage faster than Magnus can blink. He didn’t know Simon could even  _ move  _ that fast. 

He laughs as Simon throws his arms around Maia and swings them around happily. Their laughs mix together into one joyful sound that has Magnus grinning wide. 

When Simon sets Maia down, Maia keeps her arms wrapped around Simon’s neck. Magnus is about to look away to give them some privacy when he sees Maia lean up to press her lips against Simon’s. 

Izzy whoops loudly from the back of the auditorium and Alec’s laugh bounces of the wall while the dance team bursts into applause, but Simon and Maia don’t seem to notice.

When they pull away Simon is looking at Maia with the softest smile Magnus has ever seen on his face and Maia is looking back with stars in her eyes.

“Um just so we’re clear,” Simon says, cheeks flushed, “you do want to go to the dance as more than friends right?” 

Maia rolls her eyes and drops her forehead to Simon’s shoulder. 

“Yes, you dork.” 

***

Magnus ends up standing under Alec’s bedroom window the next night like an idiot. He isn’t about to come short on his end of the deal but he had been a lot more confident about this whole confession thing when it was just some speech he was planning in his head. 

Now that he actually has to go through with it he’s kind of frozen on the spot. He has a handful of pebbles in his hands because he wants to be romantic but he’s been standing here for the last 10 minutes and hasn’t thrown even one. 

He startles when Alec’s window opens and he pokes his head out. 

“Magnus? It’s midnight, what the hell are you doing?”

Seeing Alec’s face, bathed in moonlight and hair disheveled from sleep, calms something in Magnus.

“Close your window. You ruined it,” he calls up to Alec. 

Alec just looks back in confusion so Magnus holds up the pebbles in his hands as explanation. 

He sees Alec shake his head before he lets out a laugh. 

“You are a piece of work Magnus Bane,” he says matter of factly, “hold on one second,” and then he disappears back into his room. 

Alec appears in the doorway a few moments later, wearing a gray hoodie and a pair of old ratty jeans that Magnus knows for a fact he’s had for almost 4 years. 

“Where are we going?” He asks.

Magnus swallows past the nerves that tighten his chest and sends Alec a smile.

“Where do you think?”

Magnus rolls down the windows in his car and lets the summer night in. He lets Alec put on Panic at The Disco and they sing along as they drive through the sleeping town. 

This is the only time Magnus can ever get Alec to truly and completely relax. When there’s no one there to see it but Magnus. 

Alec’s voice isn’t amazing but the deep baritone of his singing sends shivers up Magnus spine and he likes the way it blends together with his own voice.

They pull up to a clearing by a park and Magnus parks the car on the side of the road. 

They sit in the car, letting the last song end before Magnus pulls the keys out of the ignition and they head for the swings.

“What’s up?” Alec asks seriously, when they’re both swinging idly back and forth.  

Magnus takes a deep breath. This is their spot.

The place they’d met when they were 10 years old. The place they’d decided they were going to be best friends when they were 12. The place Magnus broke down over losing his mother when they were 13. The place Alec came out to him when they were 15. And  _ now _ the place where Magnus is going to tell Alec he is in love with him. 

Alec is looking at Magnus with concern and Magnus sends him the best smile he can manage while his heart is beating so fast he thinks he might have a heart attack.

“Is everything okay?” Alec asks softly.

“Yeah,” Magnus breathes out, “Yeah. I’m fine. I just- I’m trying to figure out how to tell you this.” 

Alec’s hand moves from the chain of his swing to Magnus’. His fingers are warm against Magnus’ as he runs them over his comfortingly.

“Magnus, you can tell me anything. We’re best friends.” 

Magnus has to close his eyes to hide his reaction to the words.

“I know,” he answers, keeping his eyes closed. All his thoughts are focused in on the spot where Alec’s fingers are brushing his. The single spot of contact, “ _ that’s  _ why this is so hard to tell you. I don’t want to lose you.” 

Alec doesn’t miss a beat. 

“You could never lose me. I don’t think I’d be able to live without you.” 

And there it is. Another spark. This one bigger and brighter than any of the others that have come before it. 

Magnus blurts out the words before he can second guess them. 

“I’m in love with you Alexander.”

He says it quietly and finally opens his eyes after.

Alec is sitting very still on his swing and Magnus has to fight every muscle in his body to not get up and run straight out of there so he doesn’t have to deal with the rejection. 

To his surprise, Alec stands up and moves into Magnus’ space. 

He’s holding both chain links of Magnus’ swing in his hands and he uses them to pull Magnus and the swing closer to himself. 

Magnus holds his breath when their faces are close enough that all Magnus would have to do is lean an inch forward to kiss him. 

Alec smiles at him and says the words that have all the air whooshing out of Magnus is one fell swoop.

“I’m in love with you too.” 

And then Alec is kissing him and nothing else in the world matters anymore. 

When they pull apart Magnus lets out a giddy laugh and hides his face in Alec’s chest. 

“Oh thank god.”

The sound of Alec’s laugh, bright and happy, is like music to his ears.

He’s going to have to thank Maia.   
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated!
> 
> Tumblr: [lightwormsiblings](https://lightwormsiblings.tumblr.com)  
> Twitter: [alistoney1](https://mobile.twitter.com/alistoney1)


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